Photo credit: Eric Nguyen, Vegas Sports Today
HENDERSON, NV. — Las Vegas Raiders rookie defensive end Keyron Crawford is embracing the opportunity to play fast as he continues adjusting to the speed and demands of the NFL.
Crawford, a third-round pick by the Raiders, returned to action after working through an injury and made his preseason debut, an experience he described as both exciting and important for his development.
“It was fun,” Crawford said. “Each and every day, that game just took a stride. I feel like I play fast, physical and hard, and that’s who I am. So just being able to do that and being able to be a part of the guys, that was fun.”
Crawford said the injury was difficult only in the sense that he had to temporarily step away from the field.
“It was just protocol. I had to just deal with it,” Crawford said. “So I was hella happy to get back.”
The rookie said the speed of his first NFL game was manageable, particularly because the Raiders were using the preseason to evaluate players and build toward the regular season.
“It was good,” Crawford said. “It was good.”
Crawford has also been impressed by the expectations placed on the team by Raiders coaches. He said the coaching staff has emphasized preparation, accountability and finding ways to improve every day.
“They’re definitely both very intentional and have high expectations for both sides of the ball,” Crawford said. “Being able to be very critical and detailed in everything we do, there’s always, ‘How can you get better?’”
Crawford said the staff also focuses on helping players who may be struggling to make progress.
“There’s always, ‘Why is this guy not improving? What do we need to do to help you improve?’” he said. “They just want to put us in the best situations so we can be successful as a team.”
Learning From Maxx Crosby and the Raiders’ Defensive Line
Crawford also credited Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby for helping bring the team’s defensive linemen together during the offseason.
Crawford participated in the Sack Summit, an offseason gathering that featured some of the NFL’s top pass rushers and defensive linemen. The experience gave the Raiders’ young defensive players an opportunity to learn alongside veterans and study the finer points of rushing the passer.
“Shout out to Max because he’s a great mentor, great leader,” Crawford said.
Crawford said one of the most valuable parts of the event was having defensive ends and tackles from across the league in the same room, exchanging ideas and breaking down film.
“Every edge and D-tackle got in one room, and we all were just talking,” Crawford said. “They were playing tape on film, and they were just telling us what they saw, why they do this, why they do that.”
For Crawford, the opportunity was about absorbing as much information as possible.
“Just being able to learn and just observe and soak in that knowledge was definitely important,” he said.
Now, Crawford is focused on translating that experience into his own game.
“I feel like my game is just very dominant in run and pass,” Crawford said. “I feel like my biggest one is just being able to be dominant on special teams and just being able to find my role, but also impacting the game on defense.”
As Crawford continues his first NFL season, his goal is straightforward: play fast, establish his role and find ways to contribute wherever the Raiders need him.
For a third-round rookie making the transition from college football to the NFL, Crawford believes that approach can help him make an immediate impact.
